The Victim Ministry Volunteers is the first program in the nation to have paid and volunteer staff within a victim assistance agency providing Christian support to victims of crime. The Victim Ministry assists victims regardless if their case is prosecuted and whatever their faith background. Trained volunteers provide emotional, spiritual, practical, and financial help.
Victim Ministry Volunteers reach out to create a safe place for victims to share their grief and loss with someone offering compassionate listening. Specifically, volunteers offer support by: taking a victim out to eat; assisting with food, translation, transportation, and repair needs; helping clean house; organizing insurance and finances after an injury, arson, or stolen checks; creating a support group; providing victim-specific Christian literature, and reaching out by sending cards and making phone calls. Most victims matched with volunteers are victims of homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, home burglary, robbery, or other violent crime.
Of the 4,000 crime victims assisted annually by Crime Victim Services, about 50 each year are matched with Victim Ministry Volunteers. Currently about 10 - 15 volunteers are active with the Ministry. Some volunteers are recruited from congregations which have a jail / prison ministry. Victims assisted are from Allen and Putnam Counties, or close proximity to those counties.
Victims are contacted after a Victim Advocate on the CVS staff asks a volunteer to initiate a contact, or when a victim is referred by family, friend, pastor, or other organization. Volunteers are friendship ambassadors, but also use meaningful "pastoral conversation," and not just social conversation. All funds are donor designated to Victim Ministry.
Crime Victim Services uses a Restorative Justice approach. CVS combines into a single agency all victim assistance: court advocacy; hearing notification; restitution documentation; 24 hour domestic violence shelter and rape crisis response; practical and financial assistance; victim - offender mediation; victim impact panels (for inmates, schools, drunk drivers, and law enforcement training); while also addressing the critical spiritual needs of crime victims.
References:
Lampman, Lisa Barnes, ed. Helping a Neighbor in Crisis. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, IL, 1997.
Delaphane, Anne & David. Victims: A Manual for Clergy & Congregations. Published under grant from U.S. Dept. of Justice. Washington, D.C., sixth edition.
- Church of the Holy Nativity, Lima
- Church of the Good Shepherd, Columbus Grove
- First Christian Church, Leipsic
- Free Christian Church of God, Continental
- Harvest Baptist Church, Wapakoneta
- Harvest Assembly of God, West Leipsic
- Leipsic United Methodist Church, Leipsic
- Lima Community Church of the Nazarene
- Ottawa Presbyterian Church, Ottawa
- River of Life Worship Center, Lima
- Salem Mennonite Church, Elida
- St. John Menonite, Pandora
- St. Michael’s Altar Rosary Society, Columbus Grove
- St. Charles Catholic Church, Lima
- Trinity United Methodist Women, Ottawa
- Trinity Wesleyan Church, Lima
- United Church of Christ, Spencerville
- United Church of Christ, Columbus Grove